Russia will start supplying Kilo class diesel submarines to Vietnam in 2014, a representative of state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport said on Friday. The submarines are equipped with "Club-S cruise missile systems," Oleg Azizov said. Russia and Vietnam signed a $3.2-billion contract on the delivery of submarines in December 2009 during the visit of Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to Russia. This is the largest deal in the history of Russian exports of naval equipment.

Kilo class submarines, nicknamed "Black Holes" for their ability to avoid detection, are considered to be among the quietest diesel-electric submarines in the world. The submarine is designed for anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface-ship warfare, and also for general reconnaissance and patrol missions. The vessel has a displacement of 2,300 tons, a maximum depth of 350 meters (1,200 feet), a range of 6,000 miles, and a crew of 57. It is equipped with six 533-mm torpedo tubes.